Rimback: Kelly Era hits important mile marker

Friday

Aug 30, 2013 at 12:01 AM

EAST RUTHERFORD ó Whatever happens over the next few months, Eagles fans can take comfort in one important fact. They arenít Jets fans.

This season represents the end times for the Eaglesí AFC neighbors to the north. With a disastrous quarterback situation and a coach playing out the string in disappointing fashion, the most anticipated story line of the Jets season will be just how bad bad can things get.

For Eagles fans that feeling is so last year. Every day brings new promise in Philadelphia, a new adventure.

Long before the team busses ticked off the miles on the New Jersey Turnpike, the Eagles turned their collective focus on the Redskins and games that count.

Starting Friday, the Chip Kelly Experiment becomes a lot less experimental. Kellyís new-age schemes and theories become less theoretical.

Itís about time.

The final gun that put the Eagles-Jets preseason game out of its misery marked an important milepost in Kellyís tenure in Philadelphia. The first phase of the Eaglesí transformation is over.

Kellyís offseason is over. By Saturday night, the team will finalize the final 53 players who will take the Delaware Valley through the NFL season.

Itís easy to forget just how complete the transformation has been. Complete as in total, but not nearly completed.

The coaching culture has been almost completely overturned. The 14-year run of the previous regime has been flipped on its ear in style and substance.

On the field, Kellyís new-age offensive system is saddled with the remains of the West Coast Offense that preceded it. Still, it seems to have sparked yet another rebirth for quarterback Michael Vick. DeSean Jackson appears to have shed the sullen cloud that followed his incandescent talents the last couple of seasons.

It seems and it appears. With Vick and Jackson, itís probably wise to be a little cautious. Weíve seen this movie before.

Not so with LeSean McCoy. Heís going to get the football. Probably a lot. And probably in situations where all his strengths can shine. No other Eagles player benefits more from Kellyís offense.

If the Eagles gets some decent line play, the skyís the limit for McCoy. Keeping Jason Peters, Jason Kelce and Todd Herremans healthy will go a long way there.

And the defense? Well thatís where fans will see their heart strings plucked. Switching to the 3-4 is infinitely more complicated than merely flip-flopping a lineman and a linebacker.

All 11 defenders have to change the way they think and play. Thatís no small feat when there are 53 guys on the other sideline doing their best to make you look foolish.

Prepare to marvel at the offense. Prepare to despair at the defense. Just donít expect to be bored.

The preseason is over. Itís all real now.

No more quarterback competitions. No time to see what a guy can do. The Eagles can play either. Or they canít. Weíll all know soon enough.

Chip Kelly is either a bona fide NFL head coach. Or heís not.

In 16 installments over the course of the next four months, the Delaware Valley will be tossed from exhilaration to exhaustion. And back again.

Through it all thereís one thing Eagles fans can be thankful for. Thereís no need to root for the Jets.